Tag Archives: First Ladies

Dolley Madison’s Heartache: Payne Todd

Dolley and James Madison had no children of their own. John Payne Todd was the son of her first marriage.   Dolley and James Madison Are Wed  The Widow Todd, as she was then called, was helping manage her mother’s … Continue reading

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Nellie Taft, Edwardian

  No one wanted to be First Lady more than Helen Herron Taft!  The Root of Nellie Taft’s Ambition Nellie Taft (1861-1943) had her eye on the White House from her teens.  Her family was prominent in Cincinnati, Ohio, and … Continue reading

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The Family Feud of the Second Mrs. Harrison

Benjamin Harrison and his second wife, Mary Lord Dimmick created a near-scandal when they married, and the family never forgave them. The Twenty-Third President’s Menage When Benjamin Harrison (1833-1901) came to the White House in 1889, he brought a large … Continue reading

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Dolley Madison and the Inaugural Ball

Dolley Madison was already a superstar when James Madison was elected President in 1808. The Early Inaugurals The inaugurations of George Washington had been solemn affairs, both in New York City and Philadelphia. No government of the “we the people” … Continue reading

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Caroline Harrison Electrifies The White House

   New York City was electrified n the early 1880s, but the White House would not be on the grid until 1891. Benjamin Harrison Arrives in Washington Incumbent Democrat Grover Cleveland was running for a second term against Republican Benjamin … Continue reading

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Rachel Jackson’s Inaugural Gown

  The Smithsonian Institution maintains a priceless collection of First Ladies’ inaugural gowns – at least those of the past hundred years. But if they had collected and maintained every First Lady’s inaugural gowns, the most valuable could arguably be … Continue reading

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Woodrow and Edith Wilson: Honeymooners

The widowed Wilson married the widowed Mrs. Galt only eight months after they had met. The Wilsons:  A New First Couple The morning of December 16, 1915, Woodrow Wilson was a happy man.  Aides said the new bridegroom was whistling … Continue reading

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The Year of Four First Ladies: 1860-1861

Two First Ladies born in a year is unusual; three is rare. Four is extraordinary. Four First Ladies Are Born    Between 1860 and 1861, four little girls were born who eventually would marry men who became Unites States Presidents. One … Continue reading

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Harriet Lane Johnston: The Unknown “First Lady”

    Harriet Lane (1830-1903) was technically a Presidential “hostess.”  Nevertheless, she was “hostess” for four full years. Harriet Lane:  A Basic Overview Harriet Lane (1830-1903) was orphaned at nine years old, and her bachelor Uncle James Buchanan, already a well-to-do … Continue reading

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Warren Harding, The Ladies Man

No doubt about it, Warren G. Harding liked the fillies, but his taste was more toward fast trotters than thoroughbreds.      Warren G. Harding and his Duchess Historians have always wondered why Warren G. Harding (1865-1923) married Florence Kling DeWolfe … Continue reading

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